Matthew 15:21-28

Apr 30, 2012 05:38 AM v28 DONE

21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

Guzic

<ul>

<li>

a. To the region of Tyre and Sidon: Tyre and Sidon were Gentile cities, located some 50 miles (80 kilometers) away. Jesus went all this way to meet this one Gentile woman’s need. This shows remarkable and unexpected love from Jesus to this woman of Canaan.

<ul>

<li>i. “Matthew’s used of the old term ‘Canaanite’ shows that he cannot forget her ancestry: now a descendant of Israel’s ancient enemies comes to the Jewish Messiah for blessing.” (Carson)</li>

<li>ii. It was especially unlikely for Jesus to go to the region of Tyre and Sidon. “Even at that time, or not much later, Josephus could write: ‘Of the Phoenicians, the Tyrians have the most ill-feeling towards us.’” (Barclay)</li>

<li>iii. “Let us always plow to the very end of the field, and serve our day and generation to the extreme limits of our sphere.” (Spurgeon)</li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

<ul>

<li>Departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon - Εις τα μερη, towards the coasts or confines. It is not clear that our Lord ever left the land of the Hebrews; he was, as the apostle observes, Romans 15:8, the minister of the circumcision according to the truth of God. Tyre and Sidon are usually joined together, principally because they are but a few miles distant from each other.</li>

</ul>

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

<ul>

<li>...not that he went into these places themselves, but into some places that bordered upon them; for as he ordered his disciples not to go in the way of the Gentiles, so neither did he himself.</li>

</ul>

People's New Testament

<ul>

<li>Both were Gentile cities in a Gentile country. That is the only instance in the Lord's ministry when he went beyond the bounds of Palestine.</li>

</ul>

Scofield Reference Notes

<ul>

<li>[1] departed</li>

<li>the Syrophenician woman</li>

<li>For the first time the rejected Son of David ministers to a Gentile. It is a precursive fulfilment of Mt 12:18 Addressed by a Gentile as Son of David, He makes no reply, for a Gentile has no claim upon Him in that character. See Scofield Note: "Mt 2:2" Eph 2:12. Addressing him as "Lord," she obtained an immediate answer. Rom 10:12,13</li>

</ul>

Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary

<ul>

<li>Here is a gleam of that light which was to lighten the Gentiles, Lu. 2:32. Christ came to his own, and his own received him not; but many of them quarrelled with him, and were offended in him; and observe what follows, v. 21</li>

<li>When Christ and his disciples could not be quiet among them, he left them, and so left an example to his own rule (ch. 10:14), Shake off the dust of your feet.</li>

</ul>

22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

Guzic

<ul>

<li>i. Perhaps this woman knew that Jesus had healed Gentiles before (Matthew 4:24-25; 8:5-13). Yet what made this encounter unique is that Jesus did those miracles as Gentiles came to Him in Jewish territory. Here, Jesus came to Gentile territory and met this woman.</li>

</ul>

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

<ul>

<li>A woman of Canaan - This woman is called, also, a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, Mark 7:26</li>

<li>That country was taken by the Greeks under Alexander the Great, and those cities, in the time of Christ, were Greek cities.</li>

</ul>

Clarke

<ul>

<li>The Canaanites and Phoenicians have been often confounded. This is frequently the case in the Septuagint. Compare Genesis 46:10, with Exodus 6:15, where the same person is called a Phoenician in the one place, and a Canaanite in the other. See also the same version in Exodus 16:35; Joshua 5:12.</li>

</ul>

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

<ul>

</ul>

Vincent's Word Studies

<ul>

<li>Out of the same coasts (ἀπὸ τῶν δρίων ἐκείνων)

<ul>

<li>Lit., as Rev., from those borders; i.e., she crossed from Phoenicia into Galilee.</li>

</ul>

</li>

<li>

Grievously vexed with a devil (κακῶς δαιμονίζεται)

<ul>

<li>Lit., is badly demonized. Sir J. Cheke, very evil devilled.</li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

People's New Testament

<ul>

<li>It is remarkable that two of the brightest examples of faith seen in the ministry of Christ were exhibited by Gentiles, that of the centurion (Mt 8:8-10), and of this woman.</li>

</ul>

Matthew Henry Whole

<ul>

<li>It is good to make the afflictions of others our own, in sense and sympathy, that we may make them our own, in improvement and advantage.</li>

<li>Her petition is, Have mercy on me. She does not limit Christ to this or that particular instance of mercy, but mercy, mercy is the thing she begs: she pleads not merit, but depends upon mercy; Have mercy upon me.</li>

</ul>

23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

Guzic

<ul>

<li>“As Augustine says, ‘The Word spoke not a word,’ and that was so unlike him. He who was always so ready with responses to the cry of grief had no response for her.” (Spurgeon)</li>

<li>Send her away, for she cries out after us: It is likely that the disciples meant, “Send her away by giving her what she wants.” It is entirely possible that they just wanted her to go away, and the easiest way was for Jesus to fix her problem.</li>

<li>Send her away: “The same verb in Luke 2:29 applies to a dismissal with desire satisfied.” (France)</li>

<li>Matthew Poole observed that some Roman Catholics look to this as an example of bringing prayers to saints, so that they would intercede on our behalf. “How many of the papists think that this text patronizeth their invocation of saints departed I cannot tell, for these disciples were alive, and we do not read that she spake to any of them to intercede for her.” (Poole)</li>

</ul>

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

<ul>

<li>The result shows that it was not unwillingness to aid her, or neglect of her. It was proper that the strength of her faith should be fully tried.</li>

</ul>

Vincent's Word Studies

<ul>

<li>Send her away - With her request granted; for, as Bengel exquisitely remarks, "Thus Christ was accustomed to send away."</li>

</ul>

Matthew Henry Whole

<ul>

<li>This was like God's tempting Abraham (Gen. 22:1), like the angel's wrestling with Jacob, only to put him upon wrestling, Gen. 32:24.</li>

<li>But Christ knew what he did, and therefore did not answer, that she might be the more earnest in prayer. He heard her, and was pleased with her, and strengthened her with strength in her soul to prosecute her request (Ps. 138:3; Job 23:6),</li>

</ul>

24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Gills:

<ul>

<li>...as a priest, or as a Saviour and Redeemer, he was sent to make satisfaction and atonement for the sins of all God's elect, and to obtain eternal redemption and salvation for all of them, whether Jews or Gentiles; but as a prophet, in the discharge of his own personal ministry, he was sent by his Father only to the Jews;</li>

</ul>

Wesley's Notes

<ul>

<li>15:24 I am not sent - Not primarily; not yet.</li>

</ul>

Matthew Henry Whole:

<ul>

<li>It is true, she is a lost sheep, and hath as much need of his care as any, but she is not of the house of Israel, to whom he was first sent (Acts 3:26), and therefore not immediately interested in it, and entitled to it.</li>

<li>Christ was a Minister of the circumcision (Rom. 15:8); and though he was intended for a Light to the Gentiles, yet the fulness of time for that was not now come, the veil was not yet rent, nor the partition-wall taken down.</li>

<li>Gospel grace and miraculous cures (the appurtenances of it), were children's bread; they belonged to them to whom pertained the adoption (Rom. 9:4), and lay not upon the same level with that rain from heaven, and those fruitful seasons, which God gave to the nations whom he suffered to walk in their own ways (Acts 14:16, 17); no, these were peculiar favours, appropriated to the peculiar people, the garden enclosed.</li>

<li>Christ preached to the Samaritans (Jn. 4:41), but we read not of any cures he wrought among them; that salvation was of the Jews: it is not meet therefore to alienate these.</li>

<li>The Gentiles were looked upon by the Jews with great contempt, were called and counted dogs; and, in comparison with the house of Israel, who were so dignified and privileged, Christ here seems to allow it, and therefore thinks it not meet that the Gentiles should share in the favours bestowed on the Jews. But see how the tables are turned; after the bringing of the Gentiles into the church, the Jewish zealots for the law are called dogs, Phil. 3:2.</li>

<li>Christ delights to exercise great faith with great trials, and sometimes reserves the sharpest for the last, that, being tried, we may come forth like gold. This general rule is applicable to other cases for direction, though here used only for trial.</li>

<li>Common charity must be extended to all, but spiritual dignities are appropriated to the household of faith; and therefore promiscuous admission to them, without distinction, wastes the children's bread, and is the giving of that which is holy to the dogs,...</li>

</ul>

25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

Guzic

<ul>

<li>“I commend this prayer to you because it such a handy prayer. You can use it when you are in a hurry, you can use it when you are in a fright, you can use it when you have not time to bow your knee. You can use it in the pulpit if you are going to preach, you can use it when you are opening your shop, you can use it when you are rising in the morning. It is such a handy prayer that I hardly know any position in which you could not pray it: ‘Lord, help me.’” (Spurgeon)</li>

</ul>

People's New Testament

<ul>

<li>Then came she and worshipped him. Instead of being discouraged by the words of Christ, she only became the more earnest.</li>

</ul>

Matthew Henry Whole

<ul>

<li>The more sensibly we feel the burthen, the more resolutely we should pray for the removal of it. And it is the will of God that we should continue instant in prayer, should always pray, and not faint.</li>

<li>She improved in prayer. Instead of blaming Christ, or charging him with unkindness, she seems rather to suspect herself, and lay the fault upon herself.</li>

<li>Christ, in his agony, prayed more earnestly.</li>

<li>"Whether an Israelite or no, I come to the Son of David for mercy, and I will not let him go, except he bless me."</li>

<li>If we cannot reason down our unbelief, let us pray it down.</li>

<li>She believed that Christ could and would help her, though she was not of the house of Israel; else she would have dropt her petition.</li>

</ul>

26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.

Guzic

<ul>

<li>Jesus continued to say discouraging things to the woman, yet this was not quite as severe as it might first sound. When Jesus called her one of the little dogs, He used little as a way to soften the harshness of calling her a dog. This softened the traditional Jewish slur towards Gentiles, which called them dogs in the most derogatory sense.</li>

<li>We are at the great disadvantage of not hearing the tone of Jesus’ voice as He spoke to this woman. We suspect that His tone was not harsh; we rather suspect that it was winsome with the effect of inviting greater faith from the woman. It is possible to speak harsh words in a playful or winsome manner.</li>

<li>“Its harshest word [dogs] contains a loophole. [Dogs] does not compare Gentiles to the dogs without, in the street, but to the household dogs belonging to the family, which have their portion though not the children’s.” (Bruce)</li>

</ul>

Gills

<ul>

<li>

Take the following passage, as an illustration of this, and as a further proof of the Jews calling the Gentiles dogs (p).

<ul>

<li>"A king provides a dinner for the children of his house; whilst they do his will they eat their meat with the king, and he gives to the dogs the part of bones to gnaw; but when the children of the house do not do the king's pleasure, he gives the dogs the dinner, and the bones to them: even so: while the Israelites do the will of their Lord, they eat at the king's table, and the feast is provided for them, and they of their own will give the bones to the Gentiles; but when they do not do the will of their Lord, lo! the feast is "for the dogs", and the bones are their's.''</li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

Vincent's Word Studies

<ul>

<li>Bengel observes that while Christ spoke severely to the Jews, he spoke honorably of them to those without. Compare John 4:22.</li>

</ul>

Matthew Henry Whole

<ul>

<li>But see how the tables are turned; after the bringing of the Gentiles into the church, the Jewish zealots for the law are called dogs, Phil. 3:2.</li>

<li>Those whom Christ intends most signally to honour, he first humbles and lays low in a sense of their own meanness and unworthiness.</li>

<li>Christ delights to exercise great faith with great trials, and sometimes reserves the sharpest for the last, that, being tried, we may come forth like gold.</li>

<li>Special ordinances and church-privileges are children's bread, and must not be prostituted to the grossly ignorant and profane.</li>

<li>A humble, believing soul, that truly loves Christ, takes every thing in good part that he saith and doeth, and puts the best construction upon it.</li>

</ul>

27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.

Guzic

<ul>

<li>Her response is especially meaningful in light of the increasing rejection of Jesus by the Jewish religious leaders. It was as if the woman said, “I’m not asking for the portion that belongs to the children, just the crumbs that they don’t want.” In the flow of Matthew’s gospel, there was more and more that the Jewish religious establishment did not want to receive.</li>

<li>“Dear friend, possibly someone has whispered in your ear, ‘Suppose you are not one of the elect.’ Well, that was very much what our Lord’s expression meant to her. She was not one of the chosen people, and she had heard Christ say, ‘I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ Notice that this woman does not battle with that truth at all, she does not raise any question about it; she wisely waives it, and she just goes on praying, ‘Lord, help me! Lord, have mercy upon me!’ I invite you, dear friend, to do just the same.” (Spurgeon)</li>

</ul>

People's New Testament

<ul>

<li>Yet the dogs eat of the crumbs. The Greek word for crumbs, psichion, is a diminutive, and means little crumbs.</li>

</ul>

Matthew Henry Whole

<ul>

<li>You cannot speak so meanly and slightly of a humble believer, but he is ready to speak as meanly and slightly of himself. Paul, Thou hast been the chief of sinners, art less than the least of saints, not meet to be called an apostle; Truth, Lord.</li>

<li>...faith can find encouragement even in that which is discouraging, and get nearer to God by taking hold on that hand which is stretched out to push it away.</li>

<li>When we are ready to surfeit on the children's bread, we should remember how many there are, that would be glad of the crumbs. Our broken meat in spiritual privileges, would be a feast to many a soul; <a href="brain://p45l4XHWMVqJ_wbovXk7uA/Acts1342" class="thought-link">Acts 13:42</a>.</li>

<li>Those who are conscious to themselves that they deserve nothing, will be thankful for any thing; and then we are prepared for the greatest of God's mercies, when we see ourselves less than the least of them.</li>

<li>&quotThough unworthy to be called children, yet make me as one of thy hired servants: nay, rather let me be set with the dogs than turned out of the house; for in my Father's house there is not only bread enough, but to spare,&quot <a href="brain://ZLs0L-1ZdVyIaTnuEa-Udw/" class="thought-link"> </a><a href="brain://nyc_oWcLVF-UYTVsEVgs4w/Luke15" class="thought-link">Luke 15</a>:17-19. It is good lying in God's house, though we lie at the threshold there.</li>

</ul>

28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Guzic

<ul>

<li>O woman, great is your faith! Jesus never said [in the scripture] this to another person. He complimented the great faith of the Roman centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant (Matthew 8:10), but He said it to the crowd, not to the centurion directly. This Gentile woman heard it from Jesus directly.</li>

<li>

Significantly, the only two people to receive this compliment from Jesus were these Gentiles. This shows us that:

<ul>

<li>Great faith may be found in unexpected places – not merely Gentiles, but a centurion and a woman!</li>

<li>Great faith is sometimes measured from its disadvantages. Their faith was great because it did not have the advantage of being nourished by the institutions of Judaism.</li>

<li>Faith is often greatest when it is expressed on behalf of someone else’s need.</li>

</ul>

</li>

<li>

·      Her faith was great, even compared to her other virtues. She was humble, she was patient, she was persevering, she cared for her child. Yet Jesus didn’t compliment any of these good things, but only her faith.

</li>

<li>·      Her faith was great because it was unlikely. No one might have expected a Gentile to trust Jesus so much.</li>

<li>·      Her faith was great because she worshipped Jesus even before she had an answer from him.</li>

<li>·      Her faith was great because it had been tested so severely. It’s hard to think of a greater test than a demon possessed child; but her faith was also tried by the seeming indifference or coldness to Jesus.</li>

<li>·      Her faith was great because it was clever. She turned Jesus’ word inside-out and made what might have been taken as an insult as a door open for faith.·</li>

<li>      Her faith was great because it concerned a need right in front of her, and a real need at that. Many people have faith for everything except those things that are right in front of them.</li>

<li>·      Her faith was great because it would not give up. She did not stop until she got what she needed from Jesus.</li>

<li>·      You could say that her faith conquered Jesus. He not only healed her daughter but He did so immediately, something that she had not even asked for.</li>

<li>i. We read of nothing else that Jesus did during this time in Tyre and Sidon. It would seem that His only divine appointment was to meet the need of this woman of faith and her afflicted daughter.</li>

</ul>

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

<ul>

<li>The word here seems to include, also, the humility and perseverance manifested in pressing her suit. The daughter was healed then. Going home, she found her well and composed, Mark 7:30.</li>

</ul>

Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

<ul>

<li>Her faith resembles a river, which becomes enlarged by the dykes opposed to it, till at last it sweeps them entirely away with it.</li>

<li>This is one of the finest lessons in the book of God for a penitent, or for a discouraged believer. Look to Jesus!</li>

</ul>

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

<ul>

<li>...her daughter was made whole from that very hour: power went forth from Christ, and dispossessed the devil; so that when she came home, as Mark observes, she found her daughter lying on the bed, quiet, and easy, and perfectly well.</li>

</ul>

Matthew Henry Whole

<ul>

<li>Though Satan may sift Peter, and buffet Paul, yet, through Christ's prayer and the sufficiency of his grace, we shall be more than conquerors, Lu. 22:31, 32; 2 Co. 12:7-9; Rom. 16:20.</li>

</ul>